Part 1
The atmosphere in Kael's living room had completely changed. The once-arrogant Crimson Hunt soldier now looked at Kael with a mixture of confusion and wariness. The ordinary human who was an easy target just seconds ago now stood with his hands wreathed in a calm yet powerful golden flame.
"W-what the hell is that?" the soldier muttered. "Phantasm energy… from a human?"
Behind him, the other two soldiers were still busy holding off Lyra's attacks. Lyra's silver scythe danced, each slash forcing them to defend desperately.
"Don't underestimate him!" the soldier facing Kael shouted. "Finish him now!"
The soldier ignored his damaged weapon and dashed forward, relying on the physical strength of his exoskeleton to finish Kael with a single punch.
He's fast! Kael thought. But strangely, the attack that previously looked like a blur now seemed clearer, as if the world had slowed down slightly for him. This must be the effect of the deepening resonance.
"Too slow!"
Kael didn't retreat. Instead, he stepped forward to meet the attack. He swung his burning hand.
"Blazing Counter!"
It wasn't a move he had learned. It was an instinctive motion, driven by Ignis's instincts that were now connected to him. The golden flame on his hand momentarily formed an energy gauntlet, blocking the soldier's metal fist.
BOOM!
The impact of metal on fire created a small explosion. The soldier was pushed back, shocked that his attack had been blocked. Kael also staggered, his arm feeling numb. Damn, he's strong.
"Kael!"
Ignis, who had gotten to her feet behind him, stared at the scene with wide eyes. Her face was still red, but now it was mixed with an expression of disbelief. That boy… is using my fire? To protect me?
"Don't just stand there, traitor!" another soldier shouted, having momentarily broken free from Lyra. He fired a barrage of energy rounds at Ignis.
"I won't let you!" Lyra shot forward, her scythe ready to parry.
But Kael was faster. "Lyra, focus on those two! I'll take this one!"
He held out his other hand, focusing on his bond with Chroma.
"Fading Wall."
A semi-transparent gray illusionary wall appeared in front of Ignis. The energy rounds passed through it without resistance, but their trajectories became slightly bent and erratic, all of them missing their target.
"An illusion!?" the soldier growled in frustration.
That moment created the perfect opening.
"Rina, now!" Kael shouted into the air.
Suddenly, the giant glass window of the apartment shattered into pieces. Rina Volkov shot in from the balcony, already in her full Chrono-Gear. She landed behind the confused soldier.
"Good evening," she said coldly.
With two precise shots to the weak point on the back of the exoskeleton's neck, the soldier collapsed to the floor, motionless.
Now only two soldiers were left facing Lyra. Seeing their leader and a comrade fall, they began to panic.
"This wasn't in the report! Retreat!" one of them said.
"You think you can run?" Lyra's voice was cold.
She raised her scythe, which now began to grow in size and was enveloped in cosmic light. She clearly intended to finish them off.
"Wait, Lyra!" Kael stopped her. "Don't kill them! We need them alive for interrogation!"
Lyra looked at Kael, then at the two terrified soldiers with a displeased look. "Hmph. Fine. Only for you, Kael."
She lowered her scythe, then with the handle of her weapon, she struck both soldiers with lightning speed, knocking them out instantly.
The fight was over.
Kael's living room now looked like a shipwreck. The floor was covered in scorch marks, the furniture was overturned, and the door was destroyed.
Kael stood in the middle of the room, panting, the fire on his hands slowly dying down. He looked at his own hands in disbelief. He had just… fought.
Rina approached him, her helmet retracting. "Are you okay?"
"I think so," Kael replied.
Lyra also came closer, her eyes looking at Kael with a mixture of worry, pride, and a little jealousy. "You… used my power without permission."
"Sorry," Kael smiled awkwardly.
Then, all three of them turned towards Ignis, who was still standing near the sofa, looking at Kael with the most complicated expression of all. She looked at Kael, then at her own hand that had been touched, then back at Kael. Her face was still beet red.
"...You... idiot," she whispered softly. "Why did you protect me?"
"Because that's what family does," Kael answered simply.
That answer seemed to be the final blow to Ignis's defensive walls. Her eyes welled up with tears again.
"...Idiot," she muttered again, but this time without any hatred. She quickly looked away, not wanting them to see her start to cry.
Rina contacted headquarters. "All intruders have been neutralized. Mission… a success?" She herself sounded uncertain.
In the middle of his wrecked apartment, surrounded by three Phantasms and a super agent, Kael could only sigh.
Looks like I really have to get used to all this.
Part 2
After the Order's team came to secure the intruders and "clean up" the apartment, the atmosphere finally calmed down. Elara and Chroma came out of the room cautiously.
"Is it over?" Elara asked worriedly.
"It's over," Kael smiled reassuringly.
That night, no one could sleep. They all gathered in the living room, which was now a little tidier. Rina decided to stay over, under the excuse of "additional security protocol."
Lyra sat very close to Kael, as if she didn't want to let him go. Chroma sat on the other side, drawing quietly, occasionally glancing at Ignis.
And Ignis… she sat alone on a single sofa across from them, hugging a pillow, still refusing to look anyone directly in the eye.
"So…" Kael began, trying to break the awkward silence. "Ignis… are you okay?"
Ignis just snorted. "I don't need your concern."
"But you protected me earlier," Kael said.
Ignis's face immediately turned red. "T-that's because… because you'd be too noisy if you died! I just wanted you to be quiet!"
A classic tsundere, Kael thought to himself, holding back a smile.
Lyra narrowed her eyes. "You touched my Kael."
"He was the one who crashed into me!" Ignis retorted, her voice rising.
"But you didn't push him away!"
"I—! Ugh, forget it!" Ignis buried her face in the pillow again.
Rina could only massage her forehead. "It seems we need some ground rules for living together."
"Agreed," Kael said. "Rule number one: no one is allowed to destroy the apartment. The repair costs are expensive."
All the girls in the room (except Elara) looked slightly guilty.
Although the atmosphere was still awkward and full of small sparks, Kael felt something different. This was no longer just a ceasefire. This was the beginning of an understanding. They had fought together, protected each other.
A new bond had been forged tonight, tempered in the heat of battle and the warmth of an accidental touch.
Kael looked at the three Phantasms around him. His orchestra now had three very different instruments. And he, the conductor, had just learned how to play the first note of fire. The road ahead was still long, but for the first time, he felt truly ready.